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Post by sojoh on Sept 29, 2011 17:35:05 GMT
I have a story for her; we ran into a graduate geology student who was in the area studying an ancient river bed trying to figure out why it flowed in a certain direction. He told us about all the dinosaurs discovered right where we were, pointing to a nearby ridge saying one of the biggest T-Rex was found up there, pointing at the base of it saying there's a triceratops right there... He said bones were easy to find, just walk around and look for rocks that are shiny. This was in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument on the south end of Cottonwood Canyon Rd, a lonely dirt road in the middle of nowhere. I might have a pic. Oh, he also told us that just East of The Wave there are some dino tracks and that the tracks are one of the first (or only) track sites showing evidence of pack hunting. Thanks, nycboy! Now that you mention dinosaurs, I wonder if it's an area that my daughter went to for fieldwork when she was an undergrad. I'll ask her when I show her your pictures when I see her in Boston tomorrow evening.
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Post by Kimby on Sept 29, 2011 22:22:00 GMT
We did the Subway Canyon hike and also Orderville Canyon, another narrow canyon. We brought wet suits to wear when crossing the pools. At the bottom of stone canyons, the water never warms up and the air stays pretty cool too, even in the desert. No way, did you rappel too? How was Orderville? I don't know that one. We didn't technically rappel, though we brought along a 50' long piece of webbing (flat nylon strap that is pretty strong and not as heavy or long as a climbing rope), which we used to ease our way down some boulders, or chockstones where the canyon floor can drop 15-20 feet in a few linear feet. There were a number of hikes that had anchor points installed in the rocks above these drops. And in some places where we had to go UP a dropoff, we sometimes had to use logs or place logs to make a sort of ladder to get back up.
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Post by Kimby on Sept 30, 2011 13:58:31 GMT
I adore the voluptuousness of the sandstone...it's almost rude! I can see thighs and bosoms...do I need a psychiatrist? If you do, you're not the only one!
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Post by nycboy on Sept 30, 2011 20:21:52 GMT
My mom started laughing really hard driving through Arches, I'll just say there's a spot in Arches with a bunch of formations that resemble a certain part of the male anatomy, one that rhymes with "rock".
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Oct 1, 2011 19:45:57 GMT
Thank goodness......I was starting to wonder if I needed therapy....
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 5, 2011 16:40:30 GMT
This is Bryce Canyon in Bryce National Park, although it isn't technically a canyon since it wasn't created by a river. This huge amphitheater of brilliantly colored hoodoos was carved from freeze-and-thaw erosion, kind of like how potholes are formed (but calling it "Bryce Pothole" instead wouldn't be very eloquent). The Paiute Indians who once lived there believed that the hoodoos were the Legend People, who the trickster Coyote turned to stone because of their wickedness. They called the place Agka-ku-wass-a-wits (red painted faces). Ebenezer Bryce, a Mormon pioneer from Scotland who settled here in the 1870s, called it "a hell of a place to lose a cow." Hiking into the canyon presents many wonderful views and perspectives. This distinctive hoodoo, called Thor's Hammer, is a terrific photo op when it's bathed with light.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2011 17:11:40 GMT
I saw that but only from "upstairs." I am often a very lazy tourist. (Actually, the problem is that I usually travel alone, and many such treks should not be done alone, which is a guideline that I understand and accept.)
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 5, 2011 17:35:11 GMT
Well, it certainly looks beautiful from the outside as well. My husband and I only did easy hikes here, although there are a couple of strenuous ones. I probably would never hike by myself, because I'd get lost on all but the simplest trails. Also, I love to talk.
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Post by nycboy on Oct 5, 2011 18:22:53 GMT
I actually had to write "EXIT" on our shower curtain, that's how bad her sense of direction is.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2011 1:43:33 GMT
Great thread and pictures of the cannons, nycgirl. It's easy to forget that so much of the US is still so empty of cities and towns. You can still drive miles and miles and see not a single person.
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 6, 2011 14:24:40 GMT
The Southwest is also home to a wealth of ancient archeological sites. Here is Falling Roof Ruin, located in the little-visited Road Canyon. This formerly inhabited Anasazi shelter is estimated to be 700-900 years old. This is Newspaper Rock, one of the largest and best-preserved collections of petroglyphs. The drawings were created by several Native American cultures, both prehistoric and historic, beginning some 2,000 years ago. The rock face is covered with black stuff called desert varnish, a manganese-iron deposit that gradually forms on exposed sandstone, and the drawings are etched into it. The older drawings are gradually becoming darker as new varnish develops.
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Post by nycboy on Oct 6, 2011 15:45:45 GMT
Unfortunately many of these sites have been subject to vandalism, this one has been pockmarked with bullets and had many later additions to the rock art. Pretty sure we saw dates as far back as 1888.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 6, 2011 16:15:20 GMT
This thread is endlessly interesting! Can you approach the dwellings in Falling Roof Ruin, or is there a barrier? Doesn't look like you'd want to stand under that overhang. I was stunned by the perfection of those petroglyphs, but my second thought was, "wonder how much of it has been graffitied over.
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Post by nycboy on Oct 6, 2011 17:43:08 GMT
This thread is endlessly interesting! Can you approach the dwellings in Falling Roof Ruin, or is there a barrier? Doesn't look like you'd want to stand under that overhang. I was stunned by the perfection of those petroglyphs, but my second thought was, "wonder how much of it has been graffitied over. Fallen Roof is completely unobstructed as are most of these sites in the SW. They ask you not to touch them, go inside, or remove any artifacts but unfortunately the black market for ancient artifacts is a big business so many of the sites have been raided, including burial areas. Here is fantastically entertaining article on how the black market and subsequent FBI raid ripped apart one town: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33157653/ns/us_news-life/t/towns-love-indian-artifacts-backfires/#.To3nW_4k6dA
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Oct 7, 2011 18:39:32 GMT
Do you know I quite fancy the idea of copying the rock drawings into our bathroom wall..... ;D unfortunately OH won't let me...spoilsport...
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Post by Kimby on Oct 8, 2011 3:18:11 GMT
Perhaps you could draw them onto unglazed tiles and fire them, cheery? Then use the tiles as a border or backsplash for your vanity?
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Oct 8, 2011 12:16:45 GMT
The Mrs. and I went to Sedona, AZ a few years back and visited Newspaper Rock. If I remember correctly Newspaper Rock also had some archaeoastronomical significance, meaning that at certain times of year a beam of sunlight would strike certain petroglyphs as it shone through a nearby cleft in a rock. What it all meant is still poorly understood but at the least it shows that what appears to be random doodlings is probably not. As gorgeous as the area around Sedona is the places you visited are even more magnificent. I must go back there someday.
Just to back up a bit, since the French were responsible for naming the Grand Tetons I wonder what sort of name they would have given The Grand Canyon?
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Oct 8, 2011 13:06:35 GMT
I was just reviewing my Arizona pictures to see if I had anything to add but yours are so much better than mine nycgirl. Instead I decided to add a bit of a different perspective. Sedona is the U.S. capital for people seeking encounters with UFO's (although I didn't see any). It attracts not only UFO seekers but a wide variety spiritualists, those seeking to get in touch with the abundant "earth energy" found in the area and a variety of other wackjobs. You can do guided tours to a variety of geological features in the area and meditate on the energy you are feeling. You probably also do some sort of chant while your "spirit guide" dangles a pyramid shaped crystal over your head and places magnets on various body parts. As scientific and fascinating as this sounds, the Mrs. and I opted instead to spend a night in the desert with an astronomer gazing at stars through a telescope. We usually started our days by having breakfast with E.T. Then we'd head out to see the sights. Here's Meteor Crater. Then we'd visit a museum. Unfortunately we were required to leave our fire arms in the car before entering the local museums. I sure wish I could have done some shootin' inside the museums. Returning to Sedona at the end of the day, E.T was always there to greet you.
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Post by nycboy on Oct 9, 2011 0:46:43 GMT
The Mrs. and I went to Sedona, AZ a few years back and visited Newspaper Rock. If I remember correctly Newspaper Rock also had some archaeoastronomical significance, meaning that at certain times of year a beam of sunlight would strike certain petroglyphs as it shone through a nearby cleft in a rock. What it all meant is still poorly understood but at the least it shows that what appears to be random doodlings is probably not. As gorgeous as the area around Sedona is the places you visited are even more magnificent. I must go back there someday. Just to back up a bit, since the French were responsible for naming the Grand Tetons I wonder what sort of name they would have given The Grand Canyon? That is quite funny. By the way, there's a great show about Chaco Canyon complex that Robert Redford narrated and it has the same astronomical relationship you mention.
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 9, 2011 2:32:06 GMT
Thanks for sharing, FMT, Sedona looks interesting. That sure is an impressive crater. Love the alien decor. the Mrs. and I opted instead to spend a night in the desert with an astronomer gazing at stars through a telescope. Nice, the star-gazing in the Southwest is wonderful. I haven't had the chance to bring a telescope there, though. Then we'd visit a museum. Unfortunately we were required to leave our fire arms in the car before entering the local museums. I sure wish I could have done some shootin' inside the museums. Ha, those Arizona museums with their oppressive rules!
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Oct 9, 2011 22:58:54 GMT
nycboy - There are many native American sites that have arachaeoastronomical significance, including some (if not many) in NY and the northeast in general. I was involved with archaeological organizations when I lived in Boston and worked with some of the native tribes in my area studying such sites. I have a friend who is The Director of the Center of Archaeoastronomy (which makes him one of the smartest guys in the world on this topic) so I am quite familiar with this subject and Chaco Canyon is well known in this aspect. nycgirl - If you go back to the southwest Sedona is well worth a visit. It's very touristy but still a beautiful place nonetheless. And the fact that it attracts a lot of weirdos adds a certain element of fun to it. There are a few astronomers there who meet people in the desert every night and they bring their telescopes so no need to bring your own scope if you don't want to. The night skies in the desert are brilliant. Just make sure to leave your guns at home though.
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Oct 9, 2011 23:18:43 GMT
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 10, 2011 5:11:13 GMT
Nice photos, FMT. Sedona sure looks beautiful. We'll definitely keep going back. Besides visiting our old favorites, there's so much we haven't seen yet.
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Post by onlymark on Oct 10, 2011 7:25:10 GMT
Photo third from the end - someone walking - I presume his car had broken down?
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 10, 2011 7:27:32 GMT
You won't believe this, but I don't think I've ever seen a picture of Bryce Canyon before. Isn't it the one referred to in all the t-shirts that say "I hiked the canyon"? How could that possibly be hiked?! Hell of a place to lose a cow indeed!
Was Thor's Hammer also created by freeze & thaw action?
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Post by happytraveller on Oct 10, 2011 11:38:15 GMT
Ooooooh.... 3 of my favourite places in the whole world ! Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon and Antelope Canyon. Thanks for those brilliant pictures, you are a very skilled fotographer ! I wanna go back there now ! Must convince hubby ;D
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 13, 2011 2:21:54 GMT
Thanks, happytraveler! I must admit, I probably only took about one-fifth of these photos and my husband took the rest. I was totally blown away MV and Antelope. I'd love to go back. You won't believe this, but I don't think I've ever seen a picture of Bryce Canyon before. Isn't it the one referred to in all the t-shirts that say "I hiked the canyon"? How could that possibly be hiked?! Hell of a place to lose a cow indeed! Was Thor's Hammer also created by freeze & thaw action? Hmm, they might mean the Grand Canyon, but I don't know. Yes, Thor's Hammer was also caused by freeze-and-thaw erosion. It's crazy what kind of shapes come about from natural erosion. Like this one, taken in Goblin Valley: I conscientiously decided to protect my friend's anonymity, in case she doesn't want this picture of herself plastered over the internet.
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 13, 2011 4:09:24 GMT
Here's a couple of pictures taken in Canyonlands National Park. 'This photo was taken on a scary trail of switchbacks in Canyonlands. At one point I hopped out of the car to take pictures while my husband drove around. See that tiny little white speck on the edge of the cliff? That's our car, which gives an idea how steep the cliffs are. Still much scarier in person. It can take eons and eons of erosion before something dramatic happens, but when it does, you can only hope to not be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't know when this monolith came crashing down on Pucker Pass, but I sure hope no one was anywhere near it at the time.
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Post by Kimby on Oct 13, 2011 14:28:23 GMT
Cool pictures. Was that the white rim trail?
Did you go into the Maze district? I was afraid we'd get in and not be able to get out. We had to drive down a 45 degree rock face without knowing if our rig would be able to get back up it.
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Post by nycboy on Oct 13, 2011 16:26:34 GMT
Pucker Pass isn't on the White Rim but yes, the other two pictures are. The one with the tiny suv at the edge of the cliff is right at the start of it, not far from the visitor center, and the other pic is just before musselman arch.
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